1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device managing apparatus, a device managing method, and a computer-readable recording medium for the device managing method.
2. Description of the Related Art
A system, which monitors the status of a device(s) such as an image processing apparatus (e.g., multifunction peripheral (MFP), printer) via a predetermined data path such as a network, is already known. With this system, a user can detect (know) an abnormality of plural devices that are being managed (target management devices) by a device managing apparatus without actually having to go and check the target management device from which the abnormality is detected (see, for example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2005-182701).
In monitoring the status of the device with this system, predetermined data communications (e.g., transmission/reception of status data) are performed between the target management devices and the device managing apparatus.
On the other hand, along with the advances in energy conservation, there are known image processing apparatuses having a communication unit that can shift to a power saving mode (status where power consumption is low (low power consumption status).
Various methods for reducing power consumption (power saving methods) are used by these image processing apparatuses (see., for example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Nos. 2004-133512 and 2006-293983).
In a network system disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2004-133512, status data of an image forming apparatus is transmitted from the image forming apparatus to a server in a case where there is a change in the status data (e.g., shift to power saving mode). Then, the server, receiving the status data from the image forming apparatus, responds to status inquiries from other devices as a substitute for the image forming apparatus that has shifted to the power saving mode. Thereby, even where the status of the image forming apparatus is a low power consumption status (power saving mode), responses to status inquiries from a network can be made with less energy consumption and less cost.
In Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2006-293983, a network communication apparatus disconnects connections with another communication apparatus during a power saving mode, sets its communication mode to a mode slower than its regular communication mode, and reestablishes (re-connects) connections with the other communication apparatus.
However, with the communication control methods disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Nos. 2005-182701, 2004-133512, and 2006-293983, there is a problem in which the target management devices undesirably shift from a power saving mode to a normal mode according to the communication method used for communicating between the devices.
For example, in a device management system that monitors the status of one or more target managing devices, status data are transmitted/received (data communications) between a device managing apparatus and a target management device. In a case where SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol) is used to perform the data communications, a communication unit included in the target management device can maintain a low power consumption status, that is, the status of the target management device does not shift from the power saving mode to a normal mode. On the other hand, in a case where SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol) is used to perform the data communications, the target management device being in the power saving mode is caused to return to the normal mode.
Therefore, even if the communication unit having a power saving mode is provided to the target management device, a power saving effect of the power saving mode cannot be satisfactorily achieved in a case where the device management system periodically performs polling of the status of the target management devices.
Although this problem could be relieved by making intervals of monitoring the status of the target management devices (intervals for performing polling) longer, more time would become required for detecting abnormality of the target management devices. Thus, the device management system would be unable to detect abnormality of the target management devices at an appropriate timing. This adversely affects the precision for monitoring the target management devices.